Immune insights –
the power of biomarkers.

The immune system

The complexity of the immune system is difficult to summarize succinctly, but it can be broadly categorized into two main branches: the innate and adaptive immune responses. The former is the body’s first line of defense, providing a range of mechanisms for rapid, non-specific protection. This includes both physical barriers – such as the skin and mucous membranes – and cellular and inflammatory responses. The adaptive immune system is even more expansive, comprising highly specialized and specific defense mechanisms that develop over time. This is further divided into two classes: antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses, which involve B cells and T cells, respectively. However, these pathways do not function independently, but work in harmony to ensure our health and survival

HMGB1

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a fundamental mediator of the immune response, and increased levels can be an important indicator of several conditions, from sepsis and cancer to arthritis and stroke.1 It is one of the most common nuclear proteins found in most cells – where it stabilizes chromosome structure and plays a central role in controlling gene expression – but it is its extracellular activity that has fascinated researchers for decades. During cell stress, HMGB1 can be modified and translocated to the cytosol, then secreted into the extracellular space, where it functions as an alarm – known as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) – to trigger critical processes of the innate immune system. This makes it a valuable biomarker, and an attractive target for many therapies.

Neopterin

Neopterin is a molecule synthesized by macrophages when stimulated by the cytokine interferon-γ, which is released by T cells upon activation. It is considered a universal biomarker, with elevated levels in the blood or urine of a patient associated with a cellular immune response before the onset of an antibody response. As such, it could help clinicians narrow down the potential cause of symptoms earlier, as increasing levels correlate with severity of disease. Its vital role in immune responses makes it an incredibly important biomarker, and it is associated with a range of conditions, including viral and bacterial infections, allograft rejections, autoimmune disorders and sarcoidosis.3

sIL-2R

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a cytokine and key signaling molecule in the human immune system, regulating the activities of white blood cells responsible for immunity. It is primarily produced by antigen-stimulated CD4+ T cells, which secrete the soluble form of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) upon activation. This results in elevated concentrations of sIL-2R in serum or plasma in patients suffering from a range of conditions, making it an extremely useful tool for clinicians to assess immune function.

Summary

These assays, like a vast majority of the Tecan specialty diagnostics range, can be used manually for small-scale operations or academic research, or automated* on platforms – such as Tecan’s Freedom EVOlyzer® – for high throughput labs. They form part of Tecan’s wider immunology portfolio that covers assays investigating both the innate and adaptive immune responses, providing detailed insights into immune function.